Abstract
The distribution of mosquitos and their corresponding hosts is critical in public health to determine the risk of transmission for vector-borne diseases. In this pilot study conducted in the small Mediterranean island of Ventotene, a known stopover site for migratory birds, the spatio-temporal distribution of two major mosquito vectors is analyzed from the natural to urban environment. The results show that Aedes albopictus aggregates mostly near areas with a human presence and the urban landscape, while Culex pipiens is more spatio-temporally spread, as it can also be found in wilder and less anthropized areas where the availability of human hosts is limited. Culex pipiens is also active earlier in the year. From a microgeographical perspective, our results confirm the anthropophilic spatial distribution of Ae. Albopictus, while suggesting that the circulation of bird zoonosis, such as West Nile, could be favored by the Cx. pipiens distribution. The results highlight the different ecology of the vectors and the interplay with their hosts, even at a small scale. The current evidence may help in forecasting the risk of pathogen transmission and surveillance planning.
Highlights
The presence of invasive mosquito species, such as Aedes albopictus [1] as well as native species like Culex pipiens [2], is of public health relevance [3,4] and cannot be underestimated
It remains yet to be fully understood whether the mechanisms and conditions that caused the extraordinary increase in West Nile virus cases in Europe during 2018 [6,7] and triggered the chikungunya outbreak in 2017 [8] were exceptional or potentially forecastable
During sampling, we collected three other mosquito species: Two species belonged to the genus Culiseta (i.e., Culiseta annulata, Culiseta longiareolata) and one to the genus Aedes (i.e., Aedes mariae)
Summary
The presence of invasive mosquito species, such as Aedes albopictus [1] as well as native species like Culex pipiens [2], is of public health relevance [3,4] and cannot be underestimated. Both species are competent vectors of many pathogens that can greatly affect the health of both individuals (by developing severe symptoms) and communities (by blocking blood donations). Even if the transmission route of the pathogen via the mosquito vector is known, the ability of the public health authorities and scientific community to forecast and understand the risks of transmission remains still limited [5]. Public Health 2020, 17, 8300; doi:10.3390/ijerph17228300 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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